Lihue, Kauai for a wedding...
Nov 24, 1999, 7:09 pm
#1
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Lihue, Kauai for a wedding...
Traveling to Kauai for a wedding on Dec. 2nd, and will have 4 days to explore. Can anyone suggest things to do? The wedding party is situated at the Marriott in Lihue, and I think we are staying at the Coconut Beach Resort at Kapaa? My traveling partner just got certified for scuba diving, and would like to know of some beaches to check out. Rental of equipment?
Thanks for any information.
Ling
Thanks for any information.
Ling
Nov 24, 1999, 7:37 pm
#2
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This is not for everyone, but one of the funnest days I've ever had was spent hiking the Alakai Swamp Trail in Kokee State Park on Kauai. It's about a three-mile, three-hour hike through gorgeous flowers, rainforests and wet, gooey mud about two-feet deep in places! It starts out easy and dry enough and then gets wetter and deeper as you go along. By the time you're about a half mile from the end, it's nothing but mud. We started out trying to avoid the mud, thinking we could stay nice and clean, but by the end we were covered and having a blast. It ends up at a gorgeous lookout.
They have old, very rustic cabins in the park that can be rented for something like $25 a night, but they usually book up 6+ months in advance, and we had one of those so fortunately, we didn't have to go tramping through a fancy hotel covered in mud.
Like I said, it's not for everyone, but if you're interested I do have more information I could send you.
Back kind of by the airport, I think, there's a river that's fun to kayak on. You can take the kayaks up to a waterfall and picnic there. There are rope swings along the way. It's a fun day trip.
[This message has been edited by letiole (edited 11-24-1999).]
They have old, very rustic cabins in the park that can be rented for something like $25 a night, but they usually book up 6+ months in advance, and we had one of those so fortunately, we didn't have to go tramping through a fancy hotel covered in mud.
Like I said, it's not for everyone, but if you're interested I do have more information I could send you.
Back kind of by the airport, I think, there's a river that's fun to kayak on. You can take the kayaks up to a waterfall and picnic there. There are rope swings along the way. It's a fun day trip.
[This message has been edited by letiole (edited 11-24-1999).]
Nov 25, 1999, 2:59 pm
#3
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letiole,
thanks for replying...
Gorgeous flowers and rainforest sounds interesting, email me with the info.
I planned on bringing my hiking gear, and I'm willing to give it a try!
Ling
thanks for replying...
Gorgeous flowers and rainforest sounds interesting, email me with the info.
I planned on bringing my hiking gear, and I'm willing to give it a try!
Ling
Nov 25, 1999, 7:30 pm
#4
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I would advise leaving Lihue posthaste and going to Princeville, Hanelei, and to the Na Pali Coast.
It's basically at the end of the highway past Princeville and Hanalei. On the way you'll pass through Wailua and you can eat at the Ono Family Restaurant, a neat little place.
Princeville has great golf, tennis, etc. The Princeville Hotel is world class although I like the Hanelei Bay Resort, which has both condos and regular rooms with great views of Hanelei Bay, along with good tennis courts, private beach, fantastic swimming pool, etc.
Hanelei Bay is great for water sports and has good restaurants and incredible natural scenery.
At the end, on the Na Pali coast, there is terrific hiking and scenery (it's where they filmed South Pacific). There is also an easier hike on the "sleeping giant" (near Princeville, you can't miss it) and snorkeling all over there.
Kuai is a fantastic place. I avoid Lihue and I avoid Poipu, but some people like Poipu (it has really good hotels and is more of a busy "happening" place, while Princeville is quieter.)
It's basically at the end of the highway past Princeville and Hanalei. On the way you'll pass through Wailua and you can eat at the Ono Family Restaurant, a neat little place.
Princeville has great golf, tennis, etc. The Princeville Hotel is world class although I like the Hanelei Bay Resort, which has both condos and regular rooms with great views of Hanelei Bay, along with good tennis courts, private beach, fantastic swimming pool, etc.
Hanelei Bay is great for water sports and has good restaurants and incredible natural scenery.
At the end, on the Na Pali coast, there is terrific hiking and scenery (it's where they filmed South Pacific). There is also an easier hike on the "sleeping giant" (near Princeville, you can't miss it) and snorkeling all over there.
Kuai is a fantastic place. I avoid Lihue and I avoid Poipu, but some people like Poipu (it has really good hotels and is more of a busy "happening" place, while Princeville is quieter.)
Nov 26, 1999, 5:23 am
#5
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Hiking the ridges along the Napali Coast is a great thing to do if one has the time to enjoy the views. Otherwise go out for a view hours in the "Zodiac" craft for a peek.
Poipou is more dry, in sharp contrast to Princeville, so it attracts the sunworshipper beach crowd!
You can eat at Brennekers dwn there!
Poipou is more dry, in sharp contrast to Princeville, so it attracts the sunworshipper beach crowd!
You can eat at Brennekers dwn there!
Nov 26, 1999, 10:10 am
#6
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My wife and I were on Kauai for a little over a week earlier this year and I wouldn't even know where to start in terms of givng you ideas on what to do. Here are some general tips:
1. Get a 4 wheel drive vehicle for trekking through the parks (stay on the road).
2. Go buy the Ulitimate Kauai guidebook...it will guide you around the island and will not steer you wrong. I believe I have the name right, but it is a blue book with the island on the cover as seen from the space shuttle (magnfied I'm sure).
3. Go to Queen's Bath. This is a natural pool by the Princesville Resort and is well worth it. It is beautiful.
4. Drive the island with sandwiches, blankets and towels and just enjoy the scenery of what Conde Naste has called the second best tropical island in the world for 1999 (behind Maui).
Enjoy a mai tai for me!!!!!
1. Get a 4 wheel drive vehicle for trekking through the parks (stay on the road).
2. Go buy the Ulitimate Kauai guidebook...it will guide you around the island and will not steer you wrong. I believe I have the name right, but it is a blue book with the island on the cover as seen from the space shuttle (magnfied I'm sure).
3. Go to Queen's Bath. This is a natural pool by the Princesville Resort and is well worth it. It is beautiful.
4. Drive the island with sandwiches, blankets and towels and just enjoy the scenery of what Conde Naste has called the second best tropical island in the world for 1999 (behind Maui).
Enjoy a mai tai for me!!!!!
Nov 27, 1999, 7:14 am
#7
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Ling -- here's a website for you that has all sorts of Kauai info:
http://www.kauai101.com/
Either Snorkel Bob's or Boss Frog's can help you out with scuba trips.
Aloha!
http://www.kauai101.com/
Either Snorkel Bob's or Boss Frog's can help you out with scuba trips.
Aloha!
Nov 27, 1999, 11:17 am
#8
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Ling: I'll email you the info this weekend. If you have a fax number, email me with that and I'll fax the info.
Nov 27, 1999, 2:29 pm
#9
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Wow, you guys are great!
The ideas are perking me up. On Thanksgiving, I still had no concrete schedule from the wedding couple (I don't even know what TIME the ceremony is! much less if the hotel info is accurate. Everything is in everybody elses' name, and I've just been told, "It's a bare-foot on the beach, no-shirt type of wedding. We're really casual. I think Dan's ex-roommate friend who lives there is planning stuff for us to do." I don't know the whole wedding group very well (I'm a friend of a friend), and just wanted BASICS.
So, Richard, doc, I'm going to get the maps out and check on those suggestions. Maybe go to AAA on Monday, and see if they have any materials, gotta take advantage of my membership!
Letiole...I'll email you with the fax number as soon as I finish this memo. Thank you!
Onefreeman...websites, what was I thinking?
The internet is a fantastic tool right under my nose, no need to panic about the unknown.
Dingo...I've seen that book! Bought two other books that were a little more general about all of Hawaii, but I think I"ll head down to the Roseburg Valley Mall 'cause I need the fresh air. It's been positively GLOOMY these past three weeks. RAIN, RAIN, and more RAIN! The 4-wheel drive is a good idea, and I'm going to bring my stash of good Cuban, and Ybor City cigars, plus OF COURSE...I will enjoy a mai-tai and other foo-foo drinks with parasols for all.
Thank you, I am looking forward to the sun, and becoming a beach bum. I probably could pass for a native? with my looks.
Ling
Oh, I think I will post a couple of ALMOST trip reports concerning Hawaii. I shouldn't lurk so much...it just seems that my post is always the last one of the bunch; it's in the wee hours of the night, not everyone
acknowledges me (did I write something stupid? do I have egg on my face? I offended someone? What?) and I do appreciate those who do take the time to respond to my questions. Hey, I'll have over 160,000 ff miles between CO, NW and UA this year!
The ideas are perking me up. On Thanksgiving, I still had no concrete schedule from the wedding couple (I don't even know what TIME the ceremony is! much less if the hotel info is accurate. Everything is in everybody elses' name, and I've just been told, "It's a bare-foot on the beach, no-shirt type of wedding. We're really casual. I think Dan's ex-roommate friend who lives there is planning stuff for us to do." I don't know the whole wedding group very well (I'm a friend of a friend), and just wanted BASICS.
So, Richard, doc, I'm going to get the maps out and check on those suggestions. Maybe go to AAA on Monday, and see if they have any materials, gotta take advantage of my membership!
Letiole...I'll email you with the fax number as soon as I finish this memo. Thank you!
Onefreeman...websites, what was I thinking?
The internet is a fantastic tool right under my nose, no need to panic about the unknown.
Dingo...I've seen that book! Bought two other books that were a little more general about all of Hawaii, but I think I"ll head down to the Roseburg Valley Mall 'cause I need the fresh air. It's been positively GLOOMY these past three weeks. RAIN, RAIN, and more RAIN! The 4-wheel drive is a good idea, and I'm going to bring my stash of good Cuban, and Ybor City cigars, plus OF COURSE...I will enjoy a mai-tai and other foo-foo drinks with parasols for all.
Thank you, I am looking forward to the sun, and becoming a beach bum. I probably could pass for a native? with my looks.
Ling
Oh, I think I will post a couple of ALMOST trip reports concerning Hawaii. I shouldn't lurk so much...it just seems that my post is always the last one of the bunch; it's in the wee hours of the night, not everyone
acknowledges me (did I write something stupid? do I have egg on my face? I offended someone? What?) and I do appreciate those who do take the time to respond to my questions. Hey, I'll have over 160,000 ff miles between CO, NW and UA this year!
Nov 28, 1999, 8:45 am
#10
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They have a river on Kauai. You can rent a canoe and paddle back to the wedding site in the grotto, or you can go on a commercial boat and do hokey things.
Kapaa has a restraunt where you can feed the cats what ever part of you steak is not so tender.
Truely spectacular is the Hanali Bay. You can boat around the Na Pali coast and reach fantasic empty beaches, alas not in Dec. There are petroglifs (I have no idea how to spell) over by the Princeville Hotel (we stayed there on Sheraton points) The Hyatt is fantastic. Must go there if only for a walkaround. Have a smoothie out by the pool complex. My favorite island. Three trips and still not tired of the wonder of it all.
Get a car, the free map in the local guide magazine and drive your heart out.
Kapaa has a restraunt where you can feed the cats what ever part of you steak is not so tender.
Truely spectacular is the Hanali Bay. You can boat around the Na Pali coast and reach fantasic empty beaches, alas not in Dec. There are petroglifs (I have no idea how to spell) over by the Princeville Hotel (we stayed there on Sheraton points) The Hyatt is fantastic. Must go there if only for a walkaround. Have a smoothie out by the pool complex. My favorite island. Three trips and still not tired of the wonder of it all.
Get a car, the free map in the local guide magazine and drive your heart out.
Nov 28, 1999, 10:39 pm
#11
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Two activities I've enjoyed on Kauai:
They have several rivers on Kauai, and in both north island (Hanalei) and south (I forget exactly where) you can rent kayaks (the plastic ones you sit on, not white water ones!). We went a couple of miles up the Hanalei river, very scenic and easy. I've also done an all-day 15 mile kayak along the NaPali coast, but they only offer that in summer (calmer seas). It was spectacular, though!
Or another idea for a hike: Hanakapiai (probably spelled wrong) Falls. You hike 2 miles along the NaPali coast (starting where the road ends), then follow the stream two miles inland (and uphill). You'll come to a gorgeous 300' waterfall, with a pool at the base that looks inviting until you put your big toe in and it's freezing - the freefall basically air-conditioned the water. Even without a swim, the hike was well worthwhile.
They have several rivers on Kauai, and in both north island (Hanalei) and south (I forget exactly where) you can rent kayaks (the plastic ones you sit on, not white water ones!). We went a couple of miles up the Hanalei river, very scenic and easy. I've also done an all-day 15 mile kayak along the NaPali coast, but they only offer that in summer (calmer seas). It was spectacular, though!
Or another idea for a hike: Hanakapiai (probably spelled wrong) Falls. You hike 2 miles along the NaPali coast (starting where the road ends), then follow the stream two miles inland (and uphill). You'll come to a gorgeous 300' waterfall, with a pool at the base that looks inviting until you put your big toe in and it's freezing - the freefall basically air-conditioned the water. Even without a swim, the hike was well worthwhile.